August 16, 2006

The 2006 Composite Poll

Its not an exact science, but I took most of the reputable preview mags, combined them with trusted websites, merged it with the BlogPoll and put in my two cents to come up with the 2006 Composite Poll.

- The results are skewed thanks to Rhett Bomar. Of the five preseason mags, only the Sporting News offered an update on the Sooners, moving them from 9th to 24th. If anything, consider the Sooners hold on the #9 position to be tenuous.

- Teams 1-18 are ranked in every poll, along with #21 Nebraska.

- All the talk of a wide open year resulted in only three votes for a national champion. Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma were predicted to be champs.

- Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, Clemson, and Nebraska are ranked, but did not garner one Top 10 vote.

- There seems to be huge divisions in the poll, points where there is a drop off to the next team. The Elite Six appear to be seperated with all receiving over 200 points. Its a 29 point drop off to the tie of LSU and Florida.

- Color LSU and Florida as the "prove it" teams as they are 29 points from the next team up and 20 points from the next team below. This probably has everything to do with both of these talented teams having murderous schedules.

- The next dip happens at #15 Georgia at 132 points to #16 Iowa at 107 points. Taking out Georgia's high and low ranking (10, Sporting News and 19, Street and Smith's), the Dawgs were consistently ranked: 11, 12, 13, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, and 17. Michigan is along the same vein. You can keep Michigan's high ranking of 11 by two outlets - Lindy's and Phil Steele - and throw out the low 20th ranking from CBS SportsLine and Michigan was ranked 11, 11, 12, 12, 13, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, and 17. Reasons? Georgia has a question at QB and Michigan is usually a safe bet.

- Penn State is getting reluctant support, basically waiting to see if JoePa needed to ride off into the sunset last year or are the Nittany Lions back to being dominant.

- Tennessee gets in after a 5-6 year and a lot back, but Alabama is not in and they only lose Croyle on offense. Interesting.

- For everyone telling the Irish to prepare for Georgia Tech, the polls certainly aren't showing the same respect for the Jackets. Only CBS Sportsline put them in at #25.

- By the polls' calculations, no outside team will enter the BCS as TCU is the highest and only non-Big Six team to be ranked at #22. Boise State and Utah received votes.